Oil dipped on Monday, weighed down by rising U.S. output although a 13 percent fall in U.S. crude inventories since March indicated a gradually tightening market. Brent crude futures, (LCOc1) the international benchmark for oil prices, were at $52.64 per barrel at 0639 GMT, down 8 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last close. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures (CLc1) were at $48.47 a barrel, down 4 cents, or 0.1 percent.
San Diego-based Sempra expects to own about 60 percent of the reorganized holding company after the transaction that is valued at $18.8 billion, including Oncor's debt, it said late on Sunday. Energy Future's board on Sunday favoured Sempra's offer over Berkshire Hathaway $9 billion deal to buy Oncor, sources told Reuters, after Sempra also offered assurances it could get its acquisition of Oncor approved by Public Utility Commission of Texas, as well as a U.S. bankruptcy judge.
Private equity suitors Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co and Affinity Equity Partners pulled bids for Australian telco Vocus Group Ltd on Monday, four days after the company's third profit warning in nine months. The end of their pursuit sent Vocus shares sliding 24.5 percent to a three-month low, and comes as headwinds strengthen across a sector upended by the rollout of a new government-owned National Broadband Network (NBN).
Markets in the region have run up nearly 30 percent, but earnings growth continues to come through, says Andrew Gillan of Janus Henderson Investors.
Asian stocks were mixed Monday as investors monitored joint military drills between U.S. and South Korean forces and awaited a key meeting of central bankers later this week. KEEPING SCORE: Japan's benchmark ...
Stronger-than-expected growth out of China is one factor that has given sentiment in the base metals sector a boost, says Daniel Hynes of ANZ.
Asian shares were fragile on Monday as investors remained unconvinced about U.S. President Donald Trump's ability to fulfill his economic agenda, even as the departure of his controversial policy strategist raised hopes of some progress. Japan's Nikkei shed 0.3 percent, hitting a 3-1/2-month low, shrugging off a Reuters poll which showed confidence at Japanese manufacturers rose to its highest in a decade in August. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was barely in the black thanks to modest gains in China, but many markets, including Australia and South Korea, were in the red.
